Controlling apparatus for electrically-propelled railway-vehicles.



PATENTED JULY 19, 1904. B. G. LAMME.

CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR ELEGTRIOALLY PROPELLBD RAILWAY VEHICLESAPPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN G. LAMME, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSEELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRlCALLY-PROPELLED RAILWAY-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,185, dated July 19,1904.

Application filed September 29, 1902. Serial No. 125,226. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN G. LAMME, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ControllingApparatus for Electrically Propelled Railway- Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to the propulsion and control of vehicles operatedby electric motors, and particularly to such as are operated bysingle-phase alternating-current motors; and it has for its object toprovide a means for 'facilitating speed control and also for minimizingthe strains exerted upon the controlling apparatus by variations involtage.

In Patent No. 7 58.667 granted May 3, 1904, to WVestinghouse Electric &Manufacturing Company upon an application filed by me, is set forth amotor designed and adapted for operation by single-phasealternating-current energy, and it is to systems embodying motors ofthis character that my present invention pertains.

In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings I have illustrated arailway-vehicle equipped with propelling and controlling mechanism inaccordance with my invention, such mechanism being, however,diagrammatically illustrated. In Fig. 2 I have shown a simplifieddiagram of the electrical features illustrated in Fig. 1.

Satisfactory utilization of single-phase alternating-current energy forthe production of mechanical power at Variable speeds involves certainspecial structural characteristics of the motors employed which arefully set forth in the patent above referred to; but since my presentinvention is not directly concerned with the motor construction it isdeemed unnecessary to enter into a detailed statement with referencethereto, itbein g sufiicient to state that the motors are constructedand designed to operate efiiciently at variable speeds when suppliedwith single-phase alternating-current energy of variable vol tage.

My invention has to do more particularly with the means for varying thevoltage supplied to such motors, and such voltage variation may beobtained either by varying the active length of one of the windings of atransformer the secondary of which is connected to the motor-circuit andthe primary of which is connected either directly or indirectly to thesupply or trolley circuit, or it may be effected by mechanicaladjustment of the two members of the transformer, the one with referenceto the other, so as to effect an inductional variation in voltage, orthe two may be combined, if desired.

I have here illustrated the inductional form of voltage-regulator,which, as well as the other forms just referred to, is structurally wellknown in the art and which is diagrammatically illustrated at 1, itbeing supported in a suitable I manner and in a suitable position on thevehicle 2, which is propelled by motors 3, here shown as two in number.It is to be understood, however, that a greater number of motors may beemployed, and, in fact, where large vehicles are employed and it isdesired to operate at high speeds it will probably be found advantageousto employ at least four motors.

The current for operating the motors 3 is derived from a supply-circuitcarrying singlephase current, one side of which is here indicated as anoverhead trolley-wire A and the other side as the track-rails 5. It isof course to be understood that the supply-conductors may both belocated either above or below the vehicle and that if located below theymay be either surface conductors or inclosed in suitable conduits.

The current from the conductor 4 passes through the trolley 6 to oneterminal of an autotransformer 7, the other terminal of which may beconnected to the other conductor 5 of the circuit in the usual manner.Current from the conductor L also passes by the trolley 6 and aconductor 8 to one terminal of the winding 9 of the stationary member 10of the regulator l, the other terminal of the winding 9 being connectedto the motors 3 by conductors 11 and 12, so that they are supplied inparallel, series connection of the motors being, however, within thescope of my invention.

An intermediate point in the winding'of the autotransformer 7 isconnected by a conductor .13 to one terminal of the winding 14 of thesecondary member 15 of the voltageregulator 1, and the other terminal ofthis winding is connected, by means of conductors 11 and 12, to themotors 3.

The member 15 of the regulator 1 may be rotated to inductionally effectthe desired voltage regulation or adjustment by any suitable means, thatwhich is indicated for illustrative purposes only comprising verticalshafts 16, directly operated by the motorman, horizontal shafts 17bevel-gears 18 connecting the two shafts and worm-gearing 19 between theshafts 17 and the shaft 20 of the motor 15.

1 It will-be clearly understoodlby those skilled in the art withoutdetailed description that vrotation of the member 15 in one directionfrom a given positionwith relation to the member 10 will serve to raisethe voltage of the motor circuit. and that rotation in the otherdirection will serve to lower such voltage.

The special arrangement of'circuits, which constitutes. my presentinvention, may be clearly seen by reference to Fig 2*that is to say, thewinding 9 ofthe voltage-regulator is connected directly across from thetrolley or supply circuit to the motor-circuit, so as to bridge both theautotransformer 7 and the winding 14 of the other. member of theregulator.

induction and at a reduced current.

When the motors are supplied with relatively lowvoltages to obtainproper starting and accelerating speeds, the secondary Winding of theregulator does a larger share of the 'workof voltage variation, and theregulator is worked at materially higher degrees of induction. wItfollows, therefore, that the regulator. operates for only brief periodsat highidegrees of induction, that the average losses will be much lessthan with the usual arrangement of circuits, and that the combinaspeeddesired, but have made such broad inventions the subjects-matter ofother applications, filed August 3, 1903, and respectively bearingSerial Nos. 168,061 and 168,062.

I claim as my invention 1. In a controlling apparatus for singlephasealternating-current motors, the combination with a supply-circuit, oneor more motors, and a transformer between the supplycircuit and themotor-circuit, of an inductionregulator for varying the voltage suppliedto the motor or motors the primary winding of which has its terminalsrespectively connected to the supply-conductor and tothe motorcircuitbetween the motorsand the secondary winding of the regulator.

2. The combination with one or more single-phase translating devices anda'source of energy for operating thesame, of an autotransformerinterposed between said source and said translating devices and aninductionvoltage regulator having its primarywinding connected in shuntto its secondary winding and to a portion of theautotransformer-winding.

3. Thecombination witha single-phase alternating-current supply-circuitand one or more suitable translating devices, of an autotransformerconnected across saidsupply-circuit and an induction-regulator havingits secondary winding connected between an intermediate point in saidautotransformerwinding and said translating device or devices and havingits primary winding connected in shunt to its secondary winding and oneportion of the autotransformer-winding.

4. The combination with a single-phase alternating-currentsupply-circuit and one or more motors, of an autotransformer interposedbetween said supply-circuit and said motors and an induction-regulatorhaving its secondary Winding connected between an intermediate. point insaid autotransformerwinding and said motor or motors and having itsprimary winding connectedin shunt to its secondary winding.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th day ofSeptember, 1902.

BENJ. G. LAMME.

Witnesses:

JAMES B. YOUNG, BIRNEY HINEs.

